17/01/2017 08:02 AST
GE Power, a division of GE, today announced an order from Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) for a turnkey combined-cycle power plant, including three GE HA gas turbines, which will power the world’s largest single-site smelter.
This win marks the first order for GE H-Class turbines in the Gulf, as well as the first use of H-Class turbines by the aluminum smelting industry anywhere in the world.
GE also marks two additional milestones for its Power Services business with this win – its multiyear agreement (MYA) with Alba for a period of 16 years, which also represents the first MYA for HA gas turbines in the Gulf region.
“GE and Gama Consortium have a proven track record when it comes to delivering world-class industrial projects in our region and around the world, and we are thrilled to work with them on this project,” said Alba’s chief executive officer Tim Murray. “Alba is building the world’s largest single-site smelter, and we will utilise GE’s advanced HA technology to create the most efficient power station in Bahrain.”
GE and Gama, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner, will together oversee the design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of Power Station 5, a plant capable of generating 1,792 megawatts (MW).
“GE has helped power the Gulf for more than three decades, and we’re very proud to work with Alba to now deliver greater innovation than ever before in this region,” said Joe Mastrangelo, president and CEO of GE’s Gas Power Systems.
“GE’s HA turbines are designed to power the world at unprecedented levels of efficiency, and this order will mark the first time that HA-level technology has been deployed anywhere in the Gulf. Further, the service agreement we’ve put in place will continue to strengthen Alba’s efficiency and reduce operating and fuel costs for many years to come.”
Joseph J Anis, GE’s president and CEO for Power Services in the Middle East and Africa, said: “We have a long-term partnership with Alba, supporting the company with advanced technology solutions that enhance their operational efficiency and productivity. The HA-level technology sets industry benchmarks in cost-effective conversion of fuel to electricity, and its first deployment in the Gulf region and in the aluminium smelter industry globally by Alba highlights the company’s focus on deploying the most advanced technology. We will continue to work with our partners in the region to deliver advanced solutions that help strengthen the power infrastructure.”
The HA is GE’s largest and most efficient gas turbine. In June 2016, GE was recognised by Guinness World Records for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant with its HA technology.
The HA technology offers industry leading flexibility, allowing customers to maintain stable power production and reliably accommodate grid variations through quick start up, rapid load changes and other features. This allows the HA to deliver reliable and flexible operations not just for large power plants and utilities but also for captive power plants or small grids.
Alba’s Power Station 5 will also utilise GE’s Digital Power Plant software solutions, which have played a key role in unlocking the HA’s record-setting levels of efficiency. These solutions provide valuable predictive insights for higher reliability and optimization by utilising a digital plant control system and a new class of Predix applications. For Alba, these capabilities enable an HA power plant to be custom configured and tuned for this complex industrial application where process stability and uninterrupted power are vital. These digital capabilities also increase the customers’ ability to run, adapt, and manage the plant for improved outcomes, the company said.
GE’s 16-year MYA will provide comprehensive coverage and risk-sharing mechanisms that cater to
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